Thread: Is the Bears OL a priority?

webb was the worst LT in the league last year. Yep we are all set lmfao

Originally Posted by motownbear

webb was the worst LT in the league last year. Yep we are all set lmfao

Now the real question would be how far are you willing to go to address the issue?

Would you trade up in the 1st round?

Would you make an agressive move in free agency?

To me the only real way to address the LT position is too draft one which may require us to become aggressive and make a move.

I think for this year we should look for a stop gap like Gaither or Barnes maybe even Bell at the right price. I feel like outside of the top ten the OT are weak this season. Trading up would be ballsy but idk if thats in our best interest cause we arent trading up to get Kalil but Reiff would be a possibility. IDK if he is worth a trade up like that though. Probably band aid route as much as I hate saying it. JA fucked this offense up so bad we really dont have a choice

Originally Posted by motownbear

I think for this year we should look for a stop gap like Gaither or Barnes maybe even Bell at the right price. I feel like outside of the top ten the OT are weak this season. Trading up would be ballsy but idk if thats in our best interest cause we arent trading up to get Kalil but Reiff would be a possibility. IDK if he is worth a trade up like that though. Probably band aid route as much as I hate saying it. JA fucked this offense up so bad we really dont have a choice

I thought the same thing, but the problem with the stop gap is that Bell is expected to get a decent contract and Gaither apparently is getting a long term deal from SD.

I think if we are serious about fixing the LT problem it will require us to look at and target Mike Adams and Jonathan Martin.

Originally Posted by motownbear

I think for this year we should look for a stop gap like Gaither or Barnes maybe even Bell at the right price. I feel like outside of the top ten the OT are weak this season. Trading up would be ballsy but idk if thats in our best interest cause we arent trading up to get Kalil but Reiff would be a possibility. IDK if he is worth a trade up like that though. Probably band aid route as much as I hate saying it. JA fucked this offense up so bad we really dont have a choice

Yes, JA totally fucked up last year but not getting us a real OT when he had a good shot at Bushrod. And Tice still apparently has some sort of bizarre, ego-driven man-crush on Webb though as I've pointed out on other threads he has nothing to be ashamed of having coached up Webb to the point of being a plausible reserve/spot-starter and can push him no higher. I only hope that Emery is making his own realistic assesment of the OT position and won't be swayed too much by Tice's excessive optimism re: Webb. We have basically 3 choices:

A) Resign ourselves to Webb starting and draft an OT prospect mid-draft (Schwartz, Potter, McCants, etc.) to replace Omiyale and maybe just maybe develop into a starting option a few years down the road if Webb continues to struggle.
Pro: Cheapest/easiest option
Con: Webb is your LT for the foreseeable future

B) Sign a FA OT to replace or at least compete with Webb for the starting job with the loser bumping Omiyale off the roster. Bell, Barnes, and McNeill are potential options; I doubt Gaither sees FA.
Pro: Adds a vet OT to the roster and a possible/probable starter
Con: Signing a realistic starter will be pricey in terms of cap space

C) Draft an OT prospect if available in the 1st to finally put this issue to rest. He should be expected to compete for the starting job and at least be ready to take it over by mid-season if Webb falters.
Pro: Inexpensive, builds for the long-term as well as for 2012
Con: Will cost at minimum the #19 pick +/- a move up, no guarantee that Adams/Reiff will fall within range

Originally Posted by MPBears68

Yes, JA totally fucked up last year but not getting us a real OT when he had a good shot at Bushrod. And Tice still apparently has some sort of bizarre, ego-driven man-crush on Webb though as I've pointed out on other threads he has nothing to be ashamed of having coached up Webb to the point of being a plausible reserve/spot-starter and can push him no higher. I only hope that Emery is making his own realistic assesment of the OT position and won't be swayed too much by Tice's excessive optimism re: Webb. We have basically 3 choices:

A) Resign ourselves to Webb starting and draft an OT prospect mid-draft (Schwartz, Potter, McCants, etc.) to replace Omiyale and maybe just maybe develop into a starting option a few years down the road if Webb continues to struggle.
Pro: Cheapest/easiest option
Con: Webb is your LT for the foreseeable future

B) Sign a FA OT to replace or at least compete with Webb for the starting job with the loser bumping Omiyale off the roster. Bell, Barnes, and McNeill are potential options; I doubt Gaither sees FA.
Pro: Adds a vet OT to the roster and a possible/probable starter
Con: Signing a realistic starter will be pricey in terms of cap space

C) Draft an OT prospect if available in the 1st to finally put this issue to rest. He should be expected to compete for the starting job and at least be ready to take it over by mid-season if Webb falters.
Pro: Inexpensive, builds for the long-term as well as for 2012
Con: Will cost at minimum the #19 pick +/- a move up, no guarantee that Adams/Reiff will fall within range

Great Breakdown.

I still feel that the only way we are guaranteed to get rid of Webb is to draft someone.

I think that option B is the most realistic for improvement if we do not invest in the 1st round.

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

I will call this option A-2 because it most closely resembles Windy's option A. We have TWO former first round picks that played LT at a high level in College. I say, "DAMN IT, ONE OF YOU GUYS BETTER STEP UP AT TAKE THIS DAMN JOB AWAY FROM A 7TH ROUNDER FROM BF STATE COLLEGE". One of those two guys (Williams or Carimi), should be able to man that position at an adequate, if not good level. Then grab our RT in the later (2nd or 3rd) round and ask Mr. Webb to take a seat and OMG to take a walk.

They cannot take his job if Mike Tice does not let them.

I would like to see Carimi get a shot, but in the end I doubt that he will because it would create a weakness at RT.


There is some talk that Jonathan Martin from Stanford will make it into the teens and could be a target for the Bears if we are not high on Mike Adams.